Taco Casserole Bake

This casserole was downright delicious. I found this recipe on another blog, Healthy-Delicious, and the author compared the flavors to a big order of nachos you’d order at a casual dining chain restaurant. I think she’s almost right, but this tastes even better! The chili oil makes this pretty spicy (in a good way) so if you like things milder you could use mild salsa instead of medium to tone it down a little. The original recipe was made with ground chicken, so you can use that instead if you prefer. If you like Mexican-American food, you will love this!

Taco Casserole Bake

Source: adapted from Healthy-Delicious

Ingredients:
24 Baked Tostitos Scoops
1 T Chili Oil (I found this in the Asian foods aisle) - if you are considering replacing this with regular oil please note the chili oil adds a lot of spice and flavor to this dish, so replacing it will affect the flavor profile
1 Onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ lbs extra lean ground turkey (I used Jennie-O which comes in a 1.25 lb package)
2 T taco seasoning
15 oz can black beans, drained
1 c salsa (I used medium)
1 c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese (I used Weight Watchers brand)

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.    In a large skillet, warm the chili oil and sauté onions and garlic until softened. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning, break up into pieces and cook until meat is browned. Mix in salsa and beans and cook for a few more minutes until salsa thickens.
3.    Break up the tortilla chips into bite sized pieces and use them to line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Evenly spread the meat mixture over the chips and then sprinkle cheese over the top*. Bake for 20 minutes.

*Additional Serving Options:
This casserole is great on its own, but it you’d like to cut the heat it can be served with a dollop of guacamole or reduced fat sour cream. I ate some of my leftovers with 2T of Wholly Guacamole. You can also add jalapenos, black olives or any other toppings you’d like before baking. Toppings will affect the P+ value.

Yields 6 servings. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 7 per serving